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Teaching and Assessment of the

Macro Skills
Learning Module 2
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Lesson 1. Developing Reading Skill in a Competence – Based Curriculum

Imagine what your life would be if you did not know how to read. Approximately only
80% of the world’s population is reported to be able to read (Grabe&Stoller,2002). Reading is a
fundamental skill for learners, not just for learning but for life (Traves,1994) with reading being
defined as “…the ability to draw meaning from the printed page and interpret this information
appropriately.” (Grabe&Stroller,2002, p.9)

To do well in school and later on the job, specifically, in teaching, one must be able to
read, and read well. It is never too late to become a better reader. At whatever stage you are in
the process of learning to read or grow on your reading skills, you can always proceed to learn to
read and read to learn on your own.

Lesson Objectives:

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

 select differentiated learning tasks in teaching reading to suit learners’ gender, needs,
strengths interests, and experiences

 Demonstrate how to provide timely, accurate, and constructive feedback to improve

learner performance in the different tasks in reading through simulations

 Craft a learning plan according to the English Curricula that is developed from research-
based knowledge and principles of reading and the theoretical bases, principles, methods,
and strategies in teaching these components; and

 Conduct a teaching demonstration of the assigned learning competencies in reading

Discussion:

Why do we need to develop reading skill?

First Language (L1) literacy leads to Second language (L2) literacy development
awareness. Reading itself builds on oral language levels and key factors that influence (L2)
reading skill development include the ability to comprehend and use both listening and speaking
skills because you need to:
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Hear a word before you can say it.

Say a word before you can read it.
Read a word before you can write it (Linse, 2005)

This tell us that young learners need a firm foundation in auditory and oracy skills before
they can become proficient readers and writers of any language. Learning to read and then to
write means the young learner has to link what they have heard or spoken to what they can see
(read) and produce (write).

Guidelines for Reading to Learn

This will help you bring together several related reading and study skills into a learning
plan. The learning materials here would help you improve in your reading skills. Consequently,
when established as a behavior is very significant in your future teaching skills. The materials
include improving your vocabulary, reading comprehension skills, some specific techniques in
reading to learn, using graphic organizers and the like.

There are certain skills that you need to develop in order to improve your reading skills:
1. Increasing your Vocabulary
2. Understanding the word Meaning through word parts
3. Using Context Clues to understand what is read
Context clues are hints found within a sentence, paragraph, or passage that a reader can
use to understand the meanings of new or unfamiliar words. 
Increasing the Vocabulary
Developing a relatively wide vocabulary is one of the best things you can do to
improve your reading skills.
How do you acquire a wide vocabulary?
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1. By learning about words, knowing their meanings and keeping them a permanent part
of your word register.
2. by getting curious about unfamiliar words, desiring to know their meaning in order to
understand them

Methods on Improving Vocabulary and getting the meaning of unfamiliar words

1. The use of dictionary - you learn information about words i.e., its origin/etymology, what part
of speech it is , how is the word properly pronounced, how it is used in sentences and
understanding its meaning and use in sentences.

2. Through Word Parts - Some of the words we use are shaped or formed from prefixes , root
words, and suffixes that came from the borrowed from other languages, Latin, Greek, Old
English, and French. By learning some of these roots, prefixes and suffixes you can study
unfamiliar words, break them down into their parts and then apply the meaning of each part to
understand the meaning of the unfamiliar word without consulting a dictionary.
a. root words (also known as base words) – the word which you can add prefix or suffix or both
ex. Bene - a Latin word which means “good”
benefit benediction benevolent unbeneficial
b. prefix - a letter or letters that you add before the root word
c. suffix - a letter or letters that you add at the end of a root word
WORD DEFINITION EXAMPLES
vid, vis See Television, envision, revise, invisibility,
supervisor
Verb Word Verbal, verbose, adverb, reverberate,
reverberation
Vac Empty Vacant, cavuum, vacate, vacancy, evacuation
Urb City Urban, urbane
Term End Terminate, termination, terminator, terminally
Tele Far off, distant Telephone, telegraph, telegram, television
Tact Touch Tactile
scrib, script Write Scribble, manuscript, transcript, subscription
Cred, credit Belief, faith, confidence Creditable, credit card
Audi Hear Inaudible, auditorium, audio
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PREFIXES DEFINITION EXAMPLES

Zoo- Animal, living being, life Zoo, zoology, zoolatry
Vice- In place of Vice-president, viceroy, vice versa
Uni- One, single Union, unity, unicorn, unicycle
Ultra Extreme, beyond Ultraconservative, ultrachic, ultralight
Trans- Across, on the other side Transport, transcend, translate
Tox- toxi Poison Toxic, toxicant
Sub- Under, beneath Submarine, subordinate
Thermo- therm- Heat Thermometer, thermostat, thermal,
Sol Sun Solar, solarium, solar system
Semi- Twice, half Semiannual, semicolon, semicircle
Mne-, mnem- Memory, to remember Mnemonic
Neo-, ne- New, recent, current Neoclassical, neolithic, neophyte

SUFFIXES DEFINITION EXAMPLES

-y Full of Dirty, muddy
-wise In the direction of Clockwise, crosswise
-tude Quality, state Gratitude, fortitude, servitude, aptitude
-ship State, quality Relationship, internship, craftsmanship,
dictatorship
-phobia Fear Claustrophobia, xenophobia, agoraphobia
-ful Full of, characterized by Cheerful, beautiful, bountiful, wonderful
-ment Act of, result, means Disappointment, amendment, statement
-ism Condition, manner Feminism, capitalism, nationalism
-ence, -ency Action, condition, quality Reference, presidency, difference
-ess Female Directress, janitress, waitress
-cracy Rule Democracy, theocracy, technocracy
-ation Action, result Syncopation, navigation
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3. Use Context – each word you read or write, in order to make sense, depends on the other
words in the sentence. These other words are called the context of a word. By studying these
surrounding words, you can pick up hints or clues which will help you figure out the meaning of
a difficult word. Knowing something about these clues can help you sharpen your word-attack
skills and improve your overall reading ability
Most Common Types of Context Clues
1. Clues supplied through SYNONYMS
Example: Jerome is fond of using trite, worn-out expressions in his writing. His favorite is “You
can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.”
2. Clues contained in COMPARISON and CONTRAST
Example: As the trial continued, the dependent’s guild became more and more obvious. With
even the slightest bit of new evidence against him, there would be no chance of acquittal.
3. Clues through ASSOCIATION with other words in the sentence
Example: Maris is one of the most talented students ever to have attended National High She has
won many awards in arts, music, and theater. She also writes poetry and short stories for the
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school paper and creates video games on her computer. She is in the basketball team and runs
road races in the summer. Marisa’s talents are innumerable.
4.Clues which appear in a SERIES
Example: The dulcimer, fiddle, and banjo are all popular among the Applachian Mountain
people.
5. Clues provided by TONE and SETTING
Example: The streets filled instantly with bellicose protesters, who pushed and shoved their way
through the frantic bystanders. The scene was no loner peaceful or calm as the marchers had
promised it would be.
6. Clues derived from CAUSE and EFFECT
Example: Since nobody came to the first voluntary work session, attendance for the second one
is mandatory for all the members.
7. Clues contained in a DEFINITION or DESCRIPTION
Example: Peggy is a transcriptionist, a person who makes a written copy of a recorded
message.